JP2024034559A - Axle bracket and front fork for saddle type vehicles equipped with the same - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a technology that can achieve both strength and weight reduction of an axle bracket that includes a connecting portion that connects a damper to an axle and a brake mounting portion to which a brake can be attached. SOLUTION: An axle bracket 40 includes a connecting part 50 that connects a damper 30 to an axle 14a, and a brake mounting part 60 that is provided on the rear side of a vehicle 10 with respect to the connecting part 50 and to which a brake 21 can be attached. It is equipped with The brake mounting portion 60 includes a first mounting portion 63 made of fiber-reinforced resin and second mounting portions 61 and 62 made of metal. [Selection diagram] Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to an axle bracket and a front fork particularly suitable for use in a saddle-ride type vehicle where a passenger rides astride.

2. Description of the Related Art Saddle-type vehicles such as motorcycles are equipped with an axle bracket on the front fork that steers the front wheels. This axle bracket includes a connecting portion that connects the damper to the axle, and a brake mounting portion to which a brake (brake caliper) can be attached.

In recent years, efforts have been made to reduce the weight of saddle-ride vehicles in order to improve their fuel efficiency and driving performance. For this reason, there has been a need to reduce the weight of axle brackets mounted on saddle-ride vehicles. In order to reduce the weight of the axle bracket, it is possible to construct the entire axle bracket from a light alloy such as an aluminum alloy, or to devise the shape of the axle bracket. However, there is a limit to how much weight can be achieved with this alone while ensuring the strength required for the axle bracket.

A technique for reducing the weight of parts mounted on a vehicle is known, for example, from Patent Document 1. A weight reduction technique known from Patent Document 1 involves replacing a portion of an automobile suspension arm from aluminum alloy with fiber-reinforced resin. However, simply replacing a part of the material does not necessarily result in weight reduction, considering the strength of the joint between the aluminum alloy and the fiber-reinforced resin. Therefore, the suspension arm of Patent Document 1 has a structure in which aluminum alloy end members at both ends and a lightweight core material interposed between these end members are sandwiched between molded plates made of fiber reinforced resin. There is.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-109511

However, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 cannot be directly applied to the axle bracket of a saddle-ride type vehicle. This is because, even though they are parts mounted on a vehicle, an automobile suspension arm and an axle bracket for a saddle-ride type vehicle have completely different structures and functions, and therefore require different strength and weight reduction.

An object of the present invention is to provide a technology that can achieve both strength and weight reduction of an axle bracket that includes a connection part that connects a damper to an axle and a brake attachment part to which a brake can be attached. shall be.

As a result of extensive studies, the inventors of the present invention focused their attention on the structure of the brake mounting part, since a brake mounting part to which a brake can be attached is provided at the rear of the coupling part that connects the damper to the axle. It was also discovered that the weight of the axle bracket could be reduced by reviewing the structure and material of the brake attachment part. The present invention was completed based on these findings.

According to the present disclosure, the damper is provided with a connecting portion that connects the damper to the axle, and a brake attaching portion that is provided on the rear side of the vehicle with respect to the connecting portion and to which a brake can be attached, and the brake attaching portion is made of fibers. An axle bracket is provided that includes a first attachment part made of reinforced resin and a second attachment part made of metal.

In the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a technology that can achieve both strength and weight reduction of an axle bracket that includes a connection part that connects a damper to an axle and a brake attachment part to which a brake can be attached. .

1 is a side view of a saddle-ride type vehicle equipped with a front fork and an axle bracket according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a structure in which a damper and a brake caliper are assembled to the axle bracket shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the axle bracket shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a perspective view from below of the axle bracket shown in FIG. 3; FIG. 4 is a diagram of the connecting portion shown in FIG. 3 viewed from the direction of arrow 5. FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an axle bracket according to a second embodiment. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 in FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of part 8 of FIG. 7. FIG. FIG. 7 is a perspective view from below of the axle bracket shown in FIG. 6; FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an axle bracket according to a third embodiment. 11 is a sectional view taken along line 11-11 in FIG. 10. FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of part 12 in FIG. 11. FIG.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the accompanying drawings. Note that the form shown in the attached drawings is an example of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to this form. In the description, "left and right" refers to the left and right with respect to a passenger riding in the saddle-ride type vehicle, and "front and rear" refers to front and rear with respect to the traveling direction of the saddle-ride type vehicle. Further, in the figure, Up indicates the top, Dn indicates the bottom, Fr indicates the front (direction of travel), Rr indicates the rear (opposite direction to the direction of travel), Le indicates the left, and Ri indicates the right. In addition to motorcycles, examples of saddle-type vehicles to which the present invention is applicable include motorcycles, tricycles with two front wheels and one rear wheel, and tricycles with one front wheel and two rear wheels. Can be done.

<Example 1>
Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, an axle bracket 40 according to a first embodiment and a front fork 13 for a saddle type vehicle equipped with the same will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1, the front fork 13 is employed in a vehicle, for example, and is used in a motorcycle 10, which is a type of saddle-riding vehicle on which a rider rides astride. In the following, the motorcycle 10 may be referred to as a "saddle-type vehicle 10" or a "vehicle 10."

As shown in FIG. 1, a motorcycle 10, which is a type of saddle-ride vehicle, includes a vehicle body 11, an engine 12 provided at the lower center of the vehicle body 11, and a front fork 13 provided at the front of the vehicle body 11. , a front wheel 14 supported by a front fork 13 , and a steering handle 15 connected to the front fork 13 .

Furthermore, the motorcycle 10 includes a wheel support mechanism 16 that extends rearward from the rear of the vehicle body 11 and is swingable in the vertical direction, a rear wheel 17 supported by the wheel support mechanism 16, and a rear wheel 17 that extends between the vehicle body 11 and the wheel support mechanism 16. The vehicle includes a rear suspension (not shown) spanning between the vehicle body 11 and a passenger seat 18 provided at the center of the upper part of the vehicle body 11.

Furthermore, the motorcycle 10 includes a brake 21 (wheel brake 21) that can brake the front wheel 14. The brake 21 has a disc brake configuration, for example, and includes a rotating brake disc 22 (brake disc rotor 22) fixed to the front wheel 14 and a fixed brake caliper 23. In response to the operation of a brake lever 24 provided on the steering handle 15, brake pressure generated from the master cylinder 25 is applied to the brake caliper 23, thereby applying brake pressure to the brake disc 22. . That is, the brake caliper 23 brakes the rotation of the front wheel 14 by pinching the brake disc 22.

The front fork 13 includes two dampers 30 (buffer main bodies 30) provided on both sides of the front wheel 14. This damper 30 is, for example, an inverted damper configured by a combination of an upper outer tube 31 supported by the vehicle body 11 and a lower inner tube 32 supporting the front wheel 14. A lower end 33 of the damper 30 (lower end 33 of the inner tube 32) is connected to the axle 14a of the front wheel 14 by an axle bracket 40.

Hereinafter, the axle bracket 40 (axle holder 40) will be explained in detail. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the axle bracket 40 includes a connecting portion 50 that connects the damper 30 to the axle 14a, and is provided on the rear Rr side of the vehicle 10 (see FIG. 1) with respect to the connecting portion 50. A brake mounting portion 60 is provided.

The connecting portion 50 is made of metal such as an aluminum alloy (light alloy). The connecting portion 50 includes a damper support portion 51 at the upper end that supports the lower end portion 33 of the damper 30, an intermediate portion 52 integrally provided at the lower end of the damper support portion 51, and an intermediate portion 52 integrally provided at the lower end of the intermediate portion 52. and an axle support portion 53 having an axle support portion 53. The damper support portion 51, the intermediate portion 52, and the axle support portion 53 are arranged on the center line CL of the damper 30, for example. The axle support portion 53 may be configured to be offset with respect to the center line CL of the damper 30.

The damper support portion 51 is, for example, a bottomed cylindrical portion with an open upper end, and is capable of fitting and fixing the lower end portion 33 of the damper 30. Since the damper support portion 51 is located at the axially upper portion of the connecting portion 50, it may be referred to as the “axially upper portion 51”.

The intermediate portion 52 is a cylindrical portion extending on the center line CL of the damper 30. Since the intermediate portion 52 is located at the axial center of the connecting portion 50, it may be referred to as the “axial center portion 52.”

The axle support portion 53 has a support hole 54 into which the axle 14a of the front wheel 14 (see FIG. 1) can be fitted and supported. Since this axle support portion 53 is located at the axially lower portion of the connecting portion 50, it may be referred to as the “axially lower portion 53”.

Hereinafter, the axial center part 52 (intermediate part 52) will be referred to as the "first connecting part 52", and the axial upper part 51 (damper support part 51) and the axial lower part 53 (axle support part 53) will be referred to as "the first connecting part 52". It may be rephrased as "second connecting portions 51, 53". That is, the connecting portion 50 includes a first connecting portion 52 and second connecting portions 51 and 53.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the brake mounting portion 60 has a V-shaped configuration that opens in the vertical direction from the connecting portion 50 toward the rear of the vehicle 10. The brake mounting portion 60 includes an upper arm 61 extending from the damper support portion 51 to the rear Rr of the vehicle 10 (see FIG. 1), a lower arm 62 extending from the axle support portion 53 to the rear Rr of the vehicle 10, and an upper arm 61 extending from the axle support portion 53 to the rear Rr of the vehicle 10. and a connecting frame 63 connecting the lower arm 62 and the lower arm 62.

Hereinafter, the connection frame 63 may be referred to as the "first attachment part 63", and the upper arm 61 and the lower arm 62 may be referred to as the "second attachment parts 61, 62".

The upper arm 61 is a flat member integrally formed with the damper support portion 51, and is made of metal such as an aluminum alloy. This upper arm 61 has an upper mounting portion 61a at its rear end.

The lower arm 62 is a flat member integrally formed with the axle support portion 53, and is made of metal such as aluminum alloy. This lower arm 62 has a lower mounting portion 62a at its rear end.

The brake caliper 23 of the brake 21 can be attached to the upper attachment part 61a and the lower attachment part 62a using a fastening member 64 such as a bolt.

As shown in FIG. 3, in order to reduce the weight of the axle bracket 40, it is more preferable for the upper arm 61 to have a through hole 61b passing through the upper and lower sides. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, in order to reduce the weight of the axle bracket 40, it is more preferable that the lower arm 62 has a through hole 62b extending vertically therethrough.

As shown in FIG. 3, the connection frame 63 is an integrally molded product made of fiber-reinforced resin. Examples of the fiber-reinforced resin include glass fiber-reinforced plastic and carbon fiber-reinforced plastic.

The connection frame 63 includes an upper frame portion 71 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 10 along the lower surface 61c of the upper arm 61, and a lower frame portion 71 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 10 along the upper surface 62c of the lower arm 62. A side frame portion 72 is provided. The upper frame portion 71 and the lower frame portion 72 are plate-shaped members with plate surfaces facing in the vertical direction. The plate width of the upper frame portion 71 is the same as the width of the lower surface 61c of the upper arm 61. The plate width of the lower frame portion 72 is the same as the width of the upper surface 62c of the lower arm 62.

Further, the connection frame 63 includes at least one (for example, a pair) reinforcing member 73 interposed between the upper frame part 71 and the lower frame part 72. The upper frame part 71 and the lower frame part 72 support each other by reinforcing members 73 (stays 73). Hereinafter, a configuration in which the connecting frame 63 includes a pair of reinforcing members 73, 73 will be described.

These reinforcing members 73, 73 are located apart from each other in the vehicle width direction, and are configured symmetrically. For example, the left reinforcing member 73 connects the left end of the upper frame section 71 and the left end of the lower frame section 72. The right reinforcing member 73 connects the right end of the upper frame section 71 and the right end of the lower frame section 72.

The right reinforcing member 73 includes a front reinforcing member 73a that connects the front end of the upper frame portion 71 and the front end of the lower frame portion 72, and a front reinforcing member 73a that connects the front end of the upper frame portion 71 and the front end of the lower frame portion 72, and a front reinforcing member 73a that is located rearward Rr of the front reinforcing member 73a and connects the upper frame portion 71 with the front reinforcing member 73a. A rear reinforcing member 73b connecting the lower frame portion 72 is provided. The rear reinforcing member 73b has, for example, an X-shape in side view, and connects the rear end of the upper frame section 71 and the lower frame section 72, and also connects the rear end of the upper frame section 71 and the lower frame section. 72 is connected. Openings are provided between the front reinforcement member 73a and the rear reinforcement member 73b, between the rear reinforcement member 73b and the upper frame portion 71, and between the rear reinforcement member 73b and the lower frame portion 72. 73c is provided. The left reinforcing member 73 has the same configuration as the right reinforcing member 73.

In this way, the connecting frame 63 is constructed of only a skeleton to reduce weight. The interior of the connection frame 63, which is a space surrounded by the upper frame part 71, the lower frame part 72, and the pair of reinforcing members 73, 73, is open to the front and rear of the vehicle 10. Further, the inside of the connecting frame 63 communicates with the outside through openings 73c, 73c of the pair of reinforcing members 73, 73, respectively. When the vehicle 10 (see FIG. 1) is running, it is possible to introduce fluid such as running wind or rainwater into the connecting frame 63 from the openings 73c, 73c of the reinforcing members 73, 73 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 10. be. The introduced fluid flows inside the connection frame 63 from the front Fr toward the rear Rr, and reaches the brake caliper 23 and brake disc (see FIG. 2) arranged at the rear of the connection frame 63. In this way, the axle bracket 40 including the connection frame 63 can cool the brake caliper 23 and the brake disc 22.

The upper arm 61 and the upper frame part 71 and the lower arm 62 and the lower frame part 72 are fixed to each other. Examples of the fixing structure for fixing them to each other include fixing with rivets 81, fixing with adhesive (for example, fixing with adhesive), and fixing with both rivets 81 and adhesive. For example, the fixation using the rivet 81 may include a configuration using a blind rivet.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, in order to reduce the weight of the axle bracket 40, it is more preferable to have a through hole 52a (including a notch hole) in the axially central portion 52 of the connecting portion 50.

For example, the through hole 52a penetrates the vehicle 10 in the front-rear direction. By having the through hole 52a, when the vehicle 10 (see FIG. 1) is running, it is possible to guide fluid FL such as running wind or rainwater to the through hole 52a. The fluid FL guided to the through hole 52a in this manner can pass through the inside of the connection frame 63 and flow toward the rear Rr, thereby cooling the brake caliper 23 and the brake disc 22 (see FIG. 2). As a result, the brake 21 can be efficiently cooled.

By providing the through hole 52a in the axial center portion 52 in this way, it is possible to easily achieve both the strength and weight reduction of the axle bracket 40 and the cooling of the brake 21. The cross-sectional area of the through hole 52a should be as large as possible from the viewpoint of reducing the weight of the axle bracket 40 and reducing the passage resistance of the fluid FL while ensuring the steering stability required of the axle bracket 40. preferable.

The explanation of the axle bracket 40 according to the first embodiment is summarized as follows.
As shown in FIG. 2, the upper arm 61 and the lower arm 62 are the parts to which the brake caliper 23 is attached, and are required to have high strength among the brake attachment parts 60. Therefore, the upper arm 61 and the lower arm 62 are made of metal. On the other hand, the connection frame 63 is a member that connects the upper arm 61 and the lower arm 62, and requires less dimensional accuracy than these arms 61 and 62. The connection frame 63 is made of fiber reinforced resin. The specific gravity of this fiber-reinforced resin is about 1.5 to 1.8, which is smaller than that of, for example, an aluminum alloy. By appropriately setting the structure (for example, shape and thickness) of this connection frame 63, it is possible to ensure the strength of the entire brake mounting portion 60. For example, the connection frame 63 is configured with only a skeleton in order to ensure strength and reduce weight. Therefore, the axle bracket 40 including the connecting portion 50 and the brake mounting portion 60 can be both strong and lightweight.

<Example 2>
The axle bracket 140 of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 9. FIG. 6 corresponds to FIG. 3 above. FIG. 8 corresponds to FIG. 4 above.

The axle bracket 140 of the second embodiment is characterized in that the connecting portion 50 of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 above is changed to a connecting portion 150 shown in FIGS. 6 to 9. The other configurations of the axle bracket 140 are the same as those of the axle bracket 40 according to the first embodiment. For parts common to the axle bracket 40 according to the first embodiment, reference numerals are used and detailed explanations are omitted.

The connecting portion 150 of the axle bracket 140 of the second embodiment is provided integrally with the damper support portion 151 at the upper end that supports the lower end portion 33 of the damper 30 (see FIG. 2), and the lower end of this damper support portion 151. The vehicle includes an intermediate portion 152 and an axle support portion 153 that is integrally provided at the lower end of the intermediate portion 152.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the damper support section 151 corresponds to the damper support section 51 (see FIG. 3) of the first embodiment, and is a bottomed cylindrical member with an open upper end, made of aluminum. It is composed of metals such as alloys (light alloys). Since the damper support portion 151 is located at the upper portion of the connecting portion 150 in the axial direction, it may be referred to as the “axial upper portion 151” or the “second connecting portion 151.” This damper support portion 151 is configured integrally with the upper arm 61 of the brake attachment portion 60.

The damper support portion 151 includes a cylindrical portion 151a into which the lower end portion 33 (see FIG. 2) of the damper 30 can be fitted and fixed, and a flat bottom plate 151b that protrudes inward from the lower end of the cylindrical portion 151a. and an annular fitting portion 151c that protrudes downward from the edge of the lower surface of the bottom plate 151b. Note that, from the viewpoint of reducing the weight of the damper support portion 151, it is preferable that the bottom plate 151b has a through hole 151d that passes through the bottom plate 151b vertically.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the axle support portion 153 corresponds to the axle support portion 53 (see FIG. 3) of the first embodiment, and is made of metal such as an aluminum alloy (light alloy). Since this axle support part 153 is located at the axial lower part of the connecting part 150, it may be referred to as the "axial lower part 153" or the "second connecting part 153." This axle support portion 153 is constructed integrally with the lower arm 62 of the brake attachment portion 60.

This axle support portion 153 is an integrally molded product consisting of a flat upper end surface 153a located at the upper end, and an annular fitting portion 153b protruding upward from the edge of the upper surface of this upper end surface 153a. Note that, from the viewpoint of reducing the weight of the axle support portion 153, the upper end surface 153a preferably has a through hole 153c extending vertically therethrough.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the intermediate portion 152 corresponds to the intermediate portion 52 (see FIG. 3) of the first embodiment described above. This intermediate portion 152 is characterized by being made of fiber-reinforced resin. Examples of the fiber-reinforced resin include glass fiber-reinforced plastic and carbon fiber-reinforced plastic.

Since this intermediate portion 152 is located at the axial center of the connecting portion 150, it may be referred to as the “axially central portion 152” or the “first connecting portion 152.” This intermediate portion 152 has a flat disk-shaped first portion 155 located at the upper end and a flat disk-shaped second portion 156 located at the lower end. The first portion 155 and the second portion 156 are perpendicular to the center line CL. Note that from the viewpoint of reducing the weight of the intermediate portion 152, it is preferable that the first portion 155 has a through hole 155a penetrating vertically, and the second portion 156 has a through hole 156a penetrating vertically. It is preferable.

Further, the intermediate portion 152 has a through hole 152a from the viewpoint of reducing the weight of the intermediate portion 152 and cooling the brake 21 (see FIG. 2). This through hole 152a corresponds to the through hole 52a (see FIG. 3) of the first embodiment. By providing the through hole 152a in the intermediate portion 152, it is possible to easily achieve both the strength and weight reduction of the axle bracket 140 and the cooling of the brake 21 (see FIG. 2).

The outer circumferential surface of the first portion 155 of the intermediate portion 152 is fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the fitting portion 151c of the damper support portion 151 by press fitting. Further, the upper end surface of the first portion 155 is overlapped with the lower surface of the bottom plate 151b of the damper support portion 151 and is fixed with an adhesive (adhesive layer).

The outer circumferential surface of the second portion 156 of the intermediate portion 152 is fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the fitting portion 153b of the axle support portion 153 by press fitting. Furthermore, the lower end surface of the second portion 156 is overlapped with the upper end surface 153a of the axle support portion 153 and is fixed with an adhesive (adhesive layer).

In this way, the intermediate portion 152 is sandwiched between the damper support portion 151 and the axle support portion 153, and are integrated with each other.

The explanation of the axle bracket 140 according to the second embodiment is summarized as follows.
As shown in FIG. 7, the axially upper part 151 where the upper arm 61 is provided and the axially lower part 153 where the lower arm 62 is provided are required to have high strength among the connecting parts 150. , made of metal. On the other hand, the axial center portion 152 requires less dimensional accuracy than the axial upper portion 151 and the axial lower portion 153, so it can be made of a material other than metal, and the axial center portion 152 is made of fiber-reinforced resin. With this configuration, it is possible to promote both ensuring the strength and reducing the weight of the connecting portion 150. Therefore, achieving both strength and weight reduction of the axle bracket 140 can be further promoted.

The axle bracket 140 according to the second embodiment can exhibit the same effects as the axle bracket 40 according to the first embodiment, in addition to the effects of the second embodiment.

<Example 3>
The axle bracket 240 of the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 12. FIG. 10 corresponds to FIG. 6 above. FIG. 11 corresponds to FIG. 7 above.

The axle bracket 240 of the third embodiment is characterized in that the connecting portion 150 of the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 above is changed to a connecting portion 250 shown in FIGS. 10 to 12. The other configurations of the axle bracket 240 are the same as those of the axle bracket 140 according to the second embodiment. For parts common to the axle bracket 140 according to the second embodiment, reference numerals are used and detailed explanations are omitted.

The connecting portion 250 of the axle bracket 240 of the third embodiment includes a damper support portion 251 at the upper end that supports the lower end portion 33 of the damper 30, and an intermediate portion 252 that is integrally provided at the lower end of this damper support portion 251. An axle support part 253 is provided integrally with the lower end of the intermediate part 252.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the damper support section 251 corresponds to the damper support section 151 (see FIG. 7) of the second embodiment. Since this damper support portion 251 is located at the axially upper portion of the connecting portion 250, it may be referred to as the “axially upper portion 251”.

This damper support part 251 (axially upper part 251) includes a first cylinder 270 and a second cylinder 280 arranged so as to surround the outer peripheral surface 271a of this first cylinder 270 (the outer peripheral surface 271a of the cylinder part 271). We are prepared.

The first cylinder 270 includes a cylinder part 271 that can fit and fix the lower end part 33 (see FIG. 2) of the damper 30, and a flat bottom plate 272 that protrudes inward from the lower end of this cylinder part 271. It is an integrally molded product made of fiber-reinforced resin. Examples of this fiber-reinforced resin include glass fiber-reinforced plastics and carbon fiber-reinforced plastics. Note that, from the viewpoint of reducing the weight of the damper support portion 251, it is preferable that the bottom plate 272 has a through hole 273 that passes through the bottom plate 272 vertically.

The second cylinder 280 is a cylindrical member made of metal such as an aluminum alloy (light alloy). This second cylinder 280 is constructed integrally with the upper arm 61 of the brake mounting portion 60.

As the structure for fixing the first cylinder 270 and the second cylinder 280, for example, any one of the following first to third fixing structures can be adopted. In the first fixing structure, the outer peripheral surface 271a of the first cylinder 270 is fixed to the inner peripheral surface 281 of the second cylinder 280 by press fitting. In the second fixing structure, the outer circumferential surface 271a of the first tube 270 is fixed to the inner circumferential surface 281 of the second tube 280 with an adhesive (adhesive layer). In the third fixing structure, the outer circumferential surface 271a of the first tube 270 is fixed to the inner circumferential surface 281 of the second tube 280 by press fitting and adhesive.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the axle support portion 253 corresponds to the axle support portion 153 (see FIG. 7) of the second embodiment, and is made of metal such as an aluminum alloy (light alloy). Since this axle support portion 253 is located at the axially lower portion of the connecting portion 50, it is sometimes referred to as the “axially lower portion 253”.

This axle support portion 253 is an integrally molded product having an annular fitting portion 253a at its upper end. The upper end surface 253b of this fitting portion 253a is a flat surface perpendicular to the center line CL. The axle support portion 253 is configured integrally with the lower arm 62 of the brake attachment portion 60.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the intermediate portion 252 corresponds to the intermediate portion 152 (see FIG. 7) of the second embodiment, and is made of fiber-reinforced resin. Examples of this fiber-reinforced resin include glass fiber-reinforced plastics and carbon fiber-reinforced plastics. Since this intermediate portion 252 is located at the axial center of the connecting portion 250, it is sometimes referred to as the “axial center portion 252.”

The upper end of this intermediate portion 252 is formed integrally with the bottom plate 272 of the first cylinder 270 of the damper support portion 251. Further, the intermediate portion 252 includes a flat disk-shaped lower plate 252a located at the lower end, and an annular fitting portion 252b protruding downward from the edge of the lower surface of the lower plate 252a.

The inner circumferential surface of the fitting portion 252b of the intermediate portion 252 is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the fitting portion 253a of the axle support portion 253 by press fitting. Furthermore, the lower surface of the lower plate 252a of the intermediate portion 252 is overlapped with the upper end surface 253b of the axle support portion 253 and is fixed with an adhesive (adhesive layer).

Hereinafter, the combined structure of the axially upper portion 251 and the axially central portion 252 may be referred to as the “first connecting portion 291”. Further, the axial lower portion 253 is sometimes referred to as the "second connecting portion 253."

Further, the intermediate portion 252 has a through hole 252c from the viewpoint of reducing the weight of the intermediate portion 252 and cooling the brake 21 (see FIG. 2). This through hole 252c corresponds to the through hole 52a (see FIG. 3) of the first embodiment. By providing the through hole 252c in the intermediate portion 252, it is possible to easily achieve both the strength and weight reduction of the axle bracket 240 and the cooling of the brake 21 (see FIG. 2).

The explanation of the axle bracket 240 according to the third embodiment is summarized as follows.
As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the connecting portion 250 that connects the damper 30 (see FIG. 2) to the axle 14a has an axially upper portion 251 at the upper end, an axially central portion 252 at the middle, and an axially central portion 252 at the lower end. A lower part 253 is provided. The axial upper part 251 includes a first cylinder 270 made of fiber-reinforced resin and a second metal cylinder 280 disposed (inserted) so as to surround the outer peripheral surface 271a of the first cylinder 270. ing. The first cylinder 270 made of fiber reinforced resin is reinforced by the second cylinder 280 made of metal. The second cylinder 280 is provided with an upper arm 61. The axial center portion 252 and the first cylinder 270 are integrally formed of fiber-reinforced resin. The axial lower portion 253 is made of metal. A lower arm 62 is provided at this axial lower portion 253.

In other words, the axially upper part 251 where the upper arm 61 is provided is a part of the connecting part 250 that requires high strength, so the first cylinder 270 made of fiber reinforced resin is reinforced with the second cylinder 280 made of metal. ing. The axial lower part 253 where the lower arm 62 is provided is a part of the connecting part 250 that requires high strength, and is therefore made of metal. On the other hand, the axial center portion 252 requires less dimensional accuracy than the axial upper portion 251 and the axial lower portion 253, so it can be made of a material other than metal. It is constructed in one piece. With this configuration, it is possible to promote both ensuring the strength and reducing the weight of the connecting portion 250. Therefore, achieving both strength and weight reduction of the axle bracket 240 can be further promoted.

The axle bracket 240 according to the third embodiment can exhibit the same effects as the axle brackets 40 and 140 of the first and second embodiments, in addition to the effects of the third embodiment.

The axle bracket 40; 140; 240 described above and the front fork 13 for the saddle type vehicle 10 equipped with the axle bracket 40; 140; 240 are summarized below.

See FIG. 2. First, the axle bracket 40; 140; 240 (see also FIGS. 6 and 10) has a connecting portion 50; 150; 250 that connects the damper 30 to the axle 14a, and a connecting portion 50; It includes a brake attachment part 60 that is provided on the rear (Rr) side of the vehicle 10 and to which the brake 21 (brake caliper 23) can be attached. This brake mounting part 60 includes a first mounting part 63 (connection frame 63) made of fiber-reinforced resin, and second mounting parts 61 and 62 (upper arm 61 and lower arm 62) made of metal. We are prepared.

The specific gravity of the fiber-reinforced resin is smaller than that of light alloys such as aluminum alloys, for example. The first mounting portion 63 (connection frame 63) of the brake mounting portion 60 was constructed from this lightweight fiber-reinforced resin. By appropriately setting the structure (for example, shape and thickness) of the first attachment part 63 made of fiber-reinforced resin, it is possible to ensure the strength of the entire brake attachment part 60. In particular, in the brake mounting part 60, the main parts where high strength is required are made of metal second mounting parts 61, 62 (upper arm 61 and lower arm 62), and the second mounting parts 61, 62 are made of metal. By using the first attachment portion 63 made of fiber-reinforced resin as a portion that does not require dimensional accuracy, strength can be ensured and weight reduction can be promoted. Therefore, the strength and strength of the axle bracket 40; 140; 240, which is provided with the connecting portion 50; 150; It is possible to achieve both weight reduction.

See FIG. 3. Secondly, the axle bracket 40; 140; 240 (see also FIGS. 6 and 19) described in the first part includes the first mounting part 63 (connection frame 63) and the second mounting part 61, 62 (upper The arm 61 and the lower arm 62) are fixed to each other by rivets 81.

The first attachment portion 63 made of fiber-reinforced resin and the second attachment portions 61 and 62 made of metal, which are manufactured separately from each other, can be fixed with rivets 81. This allows members made of different materials to be integrated relatively easily.

See FIG. 3. Thirdly, the axle bracket 40; 140; 240 (see also FIGS. 6 and 10) described in the second section includes the first mounting part 63 (connection frame 63) and the second mounting part 61, 62 (upper side The arm 61 and the lower arm 62) are further fixed to each other with adhesive.

In addition to the rivets 81, since the structure is fixed using an adhesive, the first mounting portion 63 and the second mounting portions 61, 62 can be fixed even more firmly.

See FIG. 7. Fourthly, in the axle bracket 140 described in the first to third aspects, the connecting part 150 is made of a first connecting part 152 (axial center part 152) made of fiber-reinforced resin and metal. and second connecting portions 151 and 153 (an axial upper portion 151 and an axial lower portion 153).

A connecting portion 150 that connects the damper 30 to the axle 14a is composed of second connecting portions 151, 153 made of metal and a first connecting portion 152 made of lightweight fiber-reinforced resin. That is, a portion 152 of the connecting portion 150 was changed to a structure made of fiber-reinforced resin. By appropriately setting the structure (for example, shape and thickness) of the first connecting portion 152 made of fiber-reinforced resin, it is possible to ensure the strength of the entire connecting portion 150. In particular, the main parts of the connecting part 150 that require high strength are made of metal second connecting parts 151 and 153, and the parts that require less dimensional accuracy than the second connecting parts 151 and 153 are made of fiber reinforced resin. By making the first connecting portion 152 made of aluminum, strength can be ensured and weight reduction can be promoted. Therefore, achieving both strength and weight reduction of the axle bracket 140 can be further promoted.

See FIG. 7. Fifthly, in the axle bracket 140 described in the fourth aspect, the first connecting portion 152 and the second connecting portions 151, 153 are fixed to each other with an adhesive.

The first connecting portion 152 made of fiber-reinforced resin and the second connecting portions 151 and 153 made of metal, which are manufactured separately from each other, can be fixed with an adhesive. This allows members made of different materials to be integrated relatively easily.

See FIG. 7. Sixthly, in the axle bracket 140 described in the fourth to fifth aspects, the first connecting portion 152 is located at the center of the connecting portion 150 in the axial direction.

That is, the first connecting portion 152 made of fiber-reinforced resin is located between the second connecting portions 151 and 153 (the axially upper part 151 and the axially lower part 153) made of metal. Among the connecting parts 150, between the second connecting parts 151 and 153 made of metal that require high strength, the first connecting part 152, which does not require higher dimensional accuracy than the second connecting parts 151 and 153, is made of fiber reinforced material. By making the connecting portion 150 made of resin, the strength of the connecting portion 150 can be ensured and the weight can be reduced.

Please refer to FIGS. 11 and 12. Seventhly, in the axle bracket 240 described in the first to third aspects, the connecting portion 250 includes a first connecting portion 291 and a second connecting portion 253. The first connecting portion 291 includes an axially upper portion 251 located at the upper end of the connecting portion 250 and an axially central portion 252 located in the middle of the connecting portion 250 . The second connecting portion 253 includes a metal axially lower portion 253 located at the lower end of the connecting portion 250 . The axially upper part 251 includes a first cylinder 270 made of fiber-reinforced resin together with the axially central part 252, and a second metal cylinder 280 arranged so as to surround the outer circumferential surface 271a of the first cylinder 270. We are prepared.

The axially upper portion 251 of the connecting portion 250 includes a first tube 270 made of fiber-reinforced resin and a second tube 280 made of metal and arranged to surround the outer peripheral surface 271a of the first tube 270. There is. That is, the first cylinder 270 made of fiber reinforced resin is reinforced by the second cylinder 280 made of metal. By making the axial upper part 251 have a structure that combines the first cylinder 270 made of fiber-reinforced resin and the second cylinder 280 made of metal, the strength of the axial upper part 251 can be ensured and the weight can be reduced. Furthermore, the axial center portion 252 provided between the axial upper portion 251 and the axial lower portion 253 is made of fiber-reinforced resin together with the axial upper portion 251. Therefore, achieving both strength and weight reduction of the axle bracket 240 can be further promoted.

See FIG. 10. Eighthly, in the axle bracket 240 described in the seventh aspect, the first cylinder 270 and the second cylinder 280 are fixed to each other with an adhesive.

The first tube 270 made of fiber-reinforced resin and the second tube 280 made of metal, which are manufactured separately from each other, can be fixed with an adhesive. This allows members made of different materials to be integrated relatively easily.

See FIG. 10. Ninth, in the axle bracket 240 described in the eighth, the first cylinder 270 is fixed to the second cylinder 280 by press fitting.

Since adhesive and press-fitting are used together, the first tube 270 and the second tube 280 can be fixed even more firmly.

See FIG. 10. Tenthly, in the axle bracket 240 described in the seventh aspect, the first tube 270 is fixed to the second tube 280 by press fitting.

The first cylinder 270 made of fiber-reinforced resin and the second cylinder 280 made of metal, which are manufactured separately from each other, can be fixed by press-fitting. This allows members made of different materials to be integrated relatively easily.

Please refer to FIG. Eleventh, the front fork 13 for the saddle-ride type vehicle 10 includes the axle brackets 40; 140; 240 described in the first to tenth aspects (see also FIGS. 2, 6, and 10).

By constructing a part of the axle bracket 40; 140; 240 provided on the front fork 13 from fiber-reinforced resin, it is possible to achieve both strength and weight reduction of the axle bracket 40; 140; It is possible to promote weight reduction of the model vehicle 10. Therefore, it is possible to contribute to improving the fuel efficiency and driving performance of the saddle-ride type vehicle 10.

Note that the axle bracket 40; 140; 240 according to the present invention and the front fork 13 for the saddle-ride type vehicle 10 equipped with the same are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments as long as the functions and effects of the present invention are achieved.

For example, although an example has been described in which the brake 21 is disposed only on one side of the front wheel 14 in the vehicle 10, the brake 21 may be disposed on both sides of the front wheel 14. In that case, the axle brackets 40; 140; 240 of the present invention will be provided on the left and right dampers 30, 30 of the front fork 13.

Furthermore, the brake 21 is not limited to the configuration of a disc brake, but may be of a drum brake configuration, for example.

Further, the axle bracket 140 of the second embodiment, the axle bracket 240 of the third embodiment, and the front fork 13 including these axle brackets 140; 240 include a configuration in which the brake mounting portion 60 is entirely made of metal. Even with this configuration, it is possible to achieve both strength and weight reduction of the axle bracket 140; 240.

The axle bracket 40; 140; 240 of the present invention and the front fork 13 provided with the axle bracket 40; 140; 240 are suitable for mounting on a saddle-ride type vehicle.

10 Saddle type vehicle 13 Front fork 14 Front wheel 14a Axle 21 Brake 22 Brake disc 23 Brake caliper 30 Damper 40 Axle bracket 50 Connection part 60 Brake mounting part 61 Second mounting part (upper arm)
62 Second mounting part (lower arm)
63 First mounting part (connection frame)
81 Rivet 140 Axle bracket 150 Connection part 151 Second connection part (upper part in axial direction, damper support part)
152 First connecting part (axial center part, intermediate part)
153 Second connection part (lower axial direction, axle support part)
240 Axle bracket 250 Connection portion 251 Upper axial direction (damper support portion)
252 Axial center part (middle part)
253 Second connection part (lower axial direction, axle support part)
270 First cylinder 271a Outer peripheral surface of the first cylinder 280 Second cylinder 281 Inner peripheral surface of the second cylinder 291 First connecting part

Claims (11)

comprising a connecting part that connects the damper to the axle, and a brake mounting part that is provided on the rear side of the vehicle with respect to the connecting part and to which a brake can be attached,
The brake mounting portion is an axle bracket including a first mounting portion made of fiber-reinforced resin and a second mounting portion made of metal. The axle bracket according to claim 1, wherein the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion are fixed to each other with a rivet. The axle bracket according to claim 2, wherein the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion are further fixed to each other with an adhesive. The axle bracket according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion includes a first connecting portion made of fiber-reinforced resin and a second connecting portion made of metal. The axle bracket according to claim 4, wherein the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are fixed to each other with an adhesive. The axle bracket according to claim 4, wherein the first connecting portion is located at an axially central portion of the connecting portion. The connecting portion includes a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion,
The first connecting portion includes an axially upper portion located at the upper end of the connecting portion, and an axially central portion located in the middle of the connecting portion,
The second connecting portion includes a metal axially lower portion located at a lower end of the connecting portion,
The axially upper portion includes a first cylinder made of fiber-reinforced resin together with the axially central portion, and a second metal cylinder disposed so as to surround the outer peripheral surface of the first cylinder. The axle bracket according to claim 1. The axle bracket according to claim 7, wherein the first cylinder and the second cylinder are fixed to each other with an adhesive. Furthermore, the axle bracket according to claim 8, wherein the first cylinder is fixed to the second cylinder by press fitting. The axle bracket according to claim 7, wherein the first cylinder is fixed to the second cylinder by press fitting. A front fork for a saddle type vehicle, comprising the axle bracket according to claim 1.

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